Field Mission 4, Etude in Blue, Part One

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You're not leaving until you've got this shanty memorized NAVIGATION Click here for the RNG thread! 1. ETUDE IN BLUE: WELCOME TO THE SEA OF FALLEN STARS A. A WATERY LANDING You'll be going down from the Moon Base via glass spheres, shot by the flight technician staff member Avi. As usual, each capsule can hold up to 4 people, although it does get increasingly uncomfortable the more people are crammed together. You're shot down to the planet in the most horrifying way possible, seeing the landscape violently change quickly and without remorse or guilt towards your possible motion sickness or uneasy feeling. The landing this time, is a canonball. All along the middle of the Sea of Fallen Stars, blips of orbs will be falling straight down into the water. From the Moon Base, Lucretia watches on as the majority of you land. It's quite a spectacle to see the splashes from this high up. And once you're there, you're... kind of up a creek without a paddle. Without a propulsion or engine system to move your orb forward, you don't have a lot of choices here. If you're lucky, you might find a mercantile ship out in between voyages. If you're extremely unlucky, you're going to have to swim... or maybe you can pop the sphere hatch open and find something to paddle with. Be careful of the sharks? Definitely be careful of the sharks. Your destination? Lyrabar. 2. THE LAP OF LUXURY, THE DANGERS OF LYRABAR B. THE CITY OF MERCHANTS' DREAMS Let's get something out of the way first: Lyrabar is a gorgeous city — and when you step off the S.S. Codfather and onto the docks about a hundred yards from the edge of the city proper, you'll be treated to a clear view of the entire skyline: Ornate, twisting towers of marble, stone buildings and finely crafted wooden structures form the city into a neat semicircle, with the marketplace at its epicenter. At the far end of the city stands a castle, a nearly glittering, extravagant structure, a maze of hallways and towers that seems to be stretching high toward the other planes of existence themselves. Lyrabar is on an entirely new level compared to Vista Virs, New Aspen, or even the comforts of the Moon Base itself. This is by far the most luxurious corner of Faerun that you've encountered yet — even the standard-level rooms you might find in an inn around Lyrabar are well maintained, the sheets are clean, and the food is delicious. The food, though! Pretty much anything you can think of is on the menu somewhere, and, no offense to an enduring and malfunctioning robot back on the base, but his cuisine chops can't even compare to what's on offer in Lyrabar. If only the people of Lyrabar were nicer. Weren't so suspicious of anyone new who passes through those gates. There is a lot of gold passing through the city gates, after all. And the pirates who are slowly overrunning the city are well aware of that. C. THE HOBBY HORSE A lot of you strong archetype Reclaimers, and even the ones who aren't, will probably eventually find your way to The Hobby Horse, a tavern that is absolutely just a tavern, if a bit more crude compared to the other watering holes nearby and around Lyrabar, and absolutely not a place where pirates higher up on the pecking order go for a bit of Jabba-the-Hut-lair entertainment. Of course it isn't. That would be silly! In any case, maybe you've signed the waiver, paid your 20 GP, and had a go at The Death Cave — essentially a long hallway, leading from one ring to the next, with waves of aggressive monsters brought in from the ocean and beyond for you to fight through. And for some of you, those of you who have played a hand in reclaiming three Grand Relics at this point ... honestly, The Death Cave might seem a little too easy. The man taking your payments and signed waivers, a man who goes only by Old Numbers, a gruff, bearded old fart who seems to be more battle scar than human, seems to have a solution for that. He leans forward over the counter, eyeing you near suspiciously. "Oi ... if it's an actual challenge yer lookin' for, Old Numbers can whip you up somethin' more ... randomized. Y'seen those Sea Quartz around town, right? Those rainbow lookin' stars that the fancier folk keep grindin' up into shampoo. Bring me three of those, and I'll give you a fight worth yer chops." True to his word, you pay Old Numbers three SQ, he'll have you sign another waiver (essentially, you're going to have to name a next of kin — someone who's fit and willing to drag your corpse out of The Death Cave, because Old Numbers here sure as hell isn't going to do it), then he'll draw a random placard from a stack of three and affix it next to the entrance of The Death Cave. The excited energy in the crowd is palpable. Now the real battling betting begins. Your goal here isn't to defeat all the enemies: It's simply to make it to the final exit. Here's what the placards mean (As a further warning, these are highly dangerous encounters! You signed a second waiver for a very good reason.): ○ Sword: In the final room of The Death Cave, you will be pitted against a swordsman who seems to have been taken in by some sort of Faerun equivalent of malevolent corruption — and boy, is he having the time of his life. He is extremely fast, his blade is freshly sharpened, and he will not hesitate to strike down anyone who was unfortunate enough to roll him, while laughing about it. He does have what you might consider an ultimate attack: Gathering up energy into his blade, he swings it, channeling said energy into one devastating plume of magic shot directly toward you. You're going to want to find a way to avoid it. ○ Bow and arrow: As you make your way through The Death Cave, you'll be pursued by the, uh. Boss of this round, a ranger whose accuracy with her bow and arrow is unrivaled. Assuming you make it to the final room without being arrow'd, you'll have to face her head-on, too. She is nimble, and now that you've reached the end, she is much less keen on missing. To make it past her, you will want to disarm her — which means closing the gap between the two of you as much as possible, to force a melee. Wand: Woe to the Reclaimer who manages to roll the magic user course. When you step inside, you'll find that the entire cave is flooded at about knee height, meaning unless you can figure out a way across it, you'll be fighting while wading. The Caster — sorry, I mean Wizard — at the end of the line specializes in ice and electric elemental spells. Have fun with that! D. IN WHICH LITERALLY EVERYONE WANTS YOUR COIN For those of you who have gold burning a hole in your pocket, the shopping available in Lyrabar is near endless. The marketplace, located at the center of the city, seems to sprawl on forever, with stalls, storefronts and eateries that seemingly cater to every fancy, whether it's fashion or weaponry. If it's souvenirs you're looking to take home, the most popular items are necklaces made out of those ever popular Sea Quartz, that are being used at The Hobby Horse and ground up into shampoo, and very sarcastic postcards: Think, "I visited Lyrabar and all I got was this crappily printed postcard" sort of sarcastic. Generally, though, as long as the item is not magical, and as long as the tech is not more advanced than what you'd find on the Moon Base, you can probably find it at the Marketplace. If you're not sure about an idea, feel free to ask right here! Some other things of note about what you'll find while shopping: ○ There are a lot of pickpockets. Maybe you shouldn't actually have a hole in your pockets. Even with the people of Lyrabar as distrusting of each other, and of you, as they are, those looking to pilfer a little extra cash off an unsuspecting visitor will find no shortage of targets. Perhaps you're one of them. Perhaps you're the sort willing to start a brawl in the middle of the Marketplace to get your most valued possessions back. Maybe, if you look close enough, you'll see that many have the same insignia branded on their arm. It seems, if you'd like to join in with, or infiltrate a pirate crew, this band of kleptos might be a good place to start off. ○ The Auction House is located on one of the far corners of the Marketplace. It's large, marble and a bit chilly inside, and the biddings start at around 6 p.m. each night, but it seems there's something ... a bit strange about the auctions themselves. That is to say, you'll have a seat one evening, and about halfway through selling off half of the evening's inventory, you'll watch them bring out the next item: like a pearl, or a particularly large and beautiful clamshell — nice enough trinkets, but nothing at all compared to the other goods that have hit the auction block so far. And why are they starting the bidding at 1,000 GP? And why are the people around you actually enthusiastically going with it? Man, they can't be that blatant, can they? E. JUSTICE Maybe by this point you've had something valuable snatched from you, or you can't quite figure out how nobody's put a stop to some very clear money laundering happening at the Auction House, and you feel the need to serve up some serious justice to the pirates out there who have done you wrong. Who runs the justice joint around here, anyway? That inquiry will lead you straight to the royal guard — the captain of which is going to groan in exhaustion/annoyance at you questions, or even your bid to help out. You think he hasn't heard that story before? The second a silver-tongued charlatan charms their way into the ranks of the royal guard, they're looking the other way while their visiting pirate friends rob the rest of us blind. He's got no time for this. If you want to truly help, you are going to have to prove it first. And so, with that, you will find yourself immediately thrown into an undercover operation, one the captain doesn't mind doling out, because at the end of the day he loses nothing from it except for a few disguises. That's right: you'll be given a disguise, whether it's a smelly pile of peasant rags or, if he's feeling less charitable with his budget, a pair of these (look, it's not like he actually cares about your safety here), and a piece of paper with one or two names on it. Your mission? Bring these suspects back to the captain without causing a scene. Or, well, go ahead and cause a scene. He has little shits to give, remember? Pull this off, though, and consider a private audience with the one member of the royal family who still keeps an audience nowadays, Princess Irene, secured. Back to top 3. OUT ON THE OPEN SEA F. CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'RE THE NEW OWNER OF A YACHT Whether you've had your fill of luxury, bar fights, enforcing the long arm of the law in town, or just gorging out on incredibly tasty food, eventually you'll recall that Lucretia had actually sent you down here with a purpose. She asked everyone to find a way to obtain a ship- one that isn't the S.S. Codfather (thank you very much, Sans!)- as the investigation into the Grand Relic can only get so far within the streets of Lyrabar. To that end, there are a number of options and opportunities for you to obtain such a vessel. ○ Steal it. This is how pirating works in a place like this. You find something, you take it, and you put a nice new flag on it to make it yours. Of course, there are some complications with that. Get caught, and you're going straight to nautical prison- don't pass the Hobby Horse, don't collect $200. But the docks district of this port town is known to be rather quiet at night, when the merchant fleets are out swindling cash at the bar, drinking themselves blind, or maybe just settling home with their family after an honest day's work. There are hired guards keeping watch, but it shouldn't be that difficult to incapacitate them. When they wake up in the morning, they'll assume what it always is around here. Someone forgot to pay the red tithe. ○ Buy it. There's always the option of offering something in exchange for a rowboat. Maybe you've come across a bountifully magical item that you want to dispose of at the auction house, or maybe there's a collector out there who's willing to make a fair trade. Renting them doesn't seem to be that much an issue either; transport around the region is always done by boat. Just know that you're going to have to put a down payment and collateral down. You also... run the risk of running into some unscrupulous merchants who are working with the pirates on the down low. Be careful not to get swindled out of everything you own, only to walk up to a tiny rowboat. ○ Mutineer it. You could find some work on boats, but it's mainly hard labor. You'll be loading the ship up for transport, and taking a trip across the Sea of Fallen stars to destinations at other major port cities. You might not need to know that some of these ships are exchanging some rather questionable goods to get the hint that there's a fair share misconduct going on around the sea. Time to throw the captain overboard and take command of your own dreamliner. ○ Other. Well, depending on how crafty you are, there are a number of ways to get a hold of a boat. These were just some guiding ideas, but we think you'll find a way. You always do. G. 20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA There's some adventuring to do out in the open sea, and treasures both vast and mighty. It's not entirely uncommon to find islands dotted along the landscape, and those are particularly good for docking and getting a sense of what's gone down around here since Captain Ferryn's taken command of the high seas. You might've gotten the sense that loose lips really do sink ships- that evidence is coming up pretty bill in your search for actual piracy going on around here. The good captain is incredibly skillful at both deception and infiltration, and with the Soul Blade helping him, there's almost nothing stopping him from completely dominating the entire sea and crowning himself the new royal in town. Mum's the word around these parts, so you're going to have to do some exploration. Pop some of those shrimp chips and head down to explore the underwater depths of the seabed. There are an unbelievable amount of ships that have been wrecked and forgotten under the violent chops of the aquatic basin. With a few hours' search, you're incredibly likely to find one, waiting for you to go down and pluck whatever's down there. Be careful, however, since The Drowned are fiercely protective of their death locales. Fight through them and live to the tell the tale, and you'll come back graciously rewarded. Many of the ships seem to have crates still on them- all with the official royal seal of Lyrabar stamped plainly on their lid. When popped open, you'll notice there's an abundance of sea quartz- the gems that are used to constantly provide a source of energy to the town. Hard to tell why pirates wouldn't be interested in that, when the trade is absurdly lucrative. You'll also find areas where ships aren't present. Instead, you might come across entire fields of sea quartz. But in their current state, they're pretty useless and look like the trinkets you might have found on the streets of Lyrabar. Devoid of any magical energies, they lay deep on the ocean floor, a nuisance and an eyesore to nature. You'll also notice that natural enemies like sharks and Sahuagin steer clear of these areas, for better or for worse. Good luck down there, and make sure you have a buddy system set up. Getting a glass sphere down into the water is near impossible, but Dr. Tank is on board the S.S. Codfather for emergencies. H. NOBODY KNOWS THE TROUBLES I'VE SEEN Know that the sea is not calm in temperament or safety. There are things to be weary of at every step of the way, and it's best to ensure that you have a good, seasoned crew to man your boat in order to keep you passing through safe waters. While you're out there, though, danger truly does lurk around every corner. Pirates, for one, are particularly good at various ways of warfare. Many of them don't even look or appear to be like the ones you might have heard of in stories or experienced elsewhere. Some even fly under the banner of Lyrabar, cruising safely without notice by anyone that would be wise to what they're up to. Sail out for too long without a purpose or linger in an area too long, and a ship will approach, lining up side by side with you. They'll tell you that they're part of the Royal Navy, and hell, they might even be wearing the garb of the official uniformed ranks, and when they announce they're here for usual inspection, they'll request to board your ship. Protocol, you see, because of the rampant acts of piracy out in the open waters. Refusing might make you look more suspicious, but letting them on board as inspectors and tax adjudicators can be equally dangerous. Some of them are legit, and some of them will look to take command of your ship and leave you out in the ocean to drown. You're going to have to be cunning to figure out which one is which. Storms rage all over the Sea of Fallen Stars. With the encroachment of the warmer months ahead, the weather itself battles for its rightful claim to the area. The signs of a storm coming are easy enough to spot, and they're frequent. Some will last 2-3 days and make travel nearly impossible. Getting out of the water is an important step in keeping your crew safe; and spending a night on an island or in a grotto is always better than running the risk of joining the armies of The Drowned below. Maelstroms are an equal threat of immense dread. If you happen to see a swirling vortex of water, start heading in the opposite direction immediately. There's a certain magnetic pull that they have, and once you've been caught in the outer rings, it's going to take a lot of teamwork to get yourselves out. Good thing you've had a month to build upon that, or else you might be toast. For those of you who are highly less fortunate, you'll notice yourselves getting sucked in, closer, and closer. You can look over the epicenter and- good god, is that a tentacle!? What is that thing!? The Prespuran Triangle also poses a major issue while traveling across the sea. Legend has it that if you sail too close to its navigable coordinates, your ship will vanish and you'll never be heard from again. It might seem like a wives' tale, but it's absolutely true. Come too close to it and you'll notice your compass begin to spin out like there's no tomorrow. Continue inward, and, well. You'll see something, alright. It's a tower that stretches into the sky, tall and unwavering. And also, completely impregnable and without doors. You're going to have to get yourself out of there somehow, and for your sake, let's hope you know the exact coordinates you came in through or else... you mind wind up on a completely different side of the world. Last but not least, the pirates aren't the only ones looking to hop aboard your newly crowned baby. Don't forget about the Sahuagins, either. They seem to attack only during the dead of night, when the moon is ripe and full in the sky. They bring with them charming magics and are particularly good at getting people to willfully walk over the edge themselves, without even drawing a blade. Back to top 4. OOC This is your story to write, and your setting to play with! Anything on the OOC post is fair game, and if there's something you'd like to try, please don't hesitate to let us know on the RNG thread. But most importantly, Reclaimers, be amazing. Back to top blurb code by photosynthesis

Comments

c gimme that sweet death trauma

[rockymountaindie]

[ The last week’s been eventful for Alex, to say the least. He’s successfully infiltrated a pirate ship, retrieved some important-looking blueprints, and adequately learned the potential problems of relying on a spell with the word distrust in its name! Only a fool would return to the Hobby Horse after stumbling away with a concussion and a dislocated shoulder, but well, no one’s ever accused Alex of being not-a-fool.

He doesn’t know Lion very well? Really it’s just the one awkward meeting and a few brief run-ins, upon which he swiftly avoided the...young man? Wait maybe not— you know what, not important. The point is they aren’t someone Alex is in the mood to seek out. But something about this sight is...strange, and Alex takes note of strange things. Gotta trust your gut if you’re always in danger of dying, after all. So, he lingers in eyesight longer than he really intends to, and there’s we are, spotted. ]

Uhhh. [ Articulate, as usual. ]It’s a...good place to get information? What’s- what’re you doing around here?

trauma what trauma there's no trauma here

[dialetheism]

[ Oh hey, it's.... uh. It's this guy! They totally remember this guy. Yup. Completely.

No, really, they do. It takes them a moment to place the voice, partially because they never really saw his face clearly after the whole potato-sack debacle, and partially because they are, to put it nicely, somewhat trashed, but eventually it clicks. Riiiiight, the kid with the burns. Nice to see he stuck around.

Lion's erstwhile conversation partner, meanwhile, takes the opportunity to quietly slide out of the immediate vicinity while they're distracted. Lucky bastard. ]

It is, isn't it? That's what I was doing too, talking to people, like- oh, he left. [ What a spoilsport. ] Like that fellow. It seemed like a better idea then sitting on the docks doing- doing nothing.

[ Case in point, they've actually written stuff down! It's all completely trivial, and probably won't make a lick of sense when they re-read it tomorrow, but it's the thought that counts. ]

But I'm not having much luck. They're all like... that.

[rockymountaindie]

[ Well, It's this guy! is definitely how Alex would prefer to be recognized. A nice, normal life, nothing too special... The ideal.

But, right now they're in a fantasy tavern, so, nothing normal. The fact that someone's sneaking away seems to be unfortunate foreshadowing of how his day's about to go, but as long as he doesn't accidentally spark another bar fight... ]

Well, I can't- I can't completely blame them, you only really come to a bar to do one thing, right?

[ Except it's a little...crowded. And loud. And Alex is here talking, not drinking, and it's a little hard to hear? So he edges forward, until he's up at the bar itself. ]

You must've got something, if you're...still here? [ They look pretty settled in, after all. ]

[dialetheism]

[ Unfortunately, nobody gets to be normal in Faerun. Even the people for whom "normal" is a defining character trait.

While they can't make any promises about any bar fights, they can clear some space for Alex to sit down - they nudge their book and cup of Something aside, though the pen they had lying around threatens to escape in the process. ]

Well, technically you can go to a bar for multiple reasons- a place to sleep, and I think they also sell food here? And there is that bizarre combat thing in the basement, for those who enjoy risking their li- um, their live...lihoods for practically no reward.

[ A nearby patron chokes on his drink overhearing that, because what the fuck, don't talk about Fight Club out loud!! Lion completely ignores him. ]

I've, ah, only really overheard rumours so far. And gossip, a lot of gossip. There's apparently been a dramatic increase in brawls in here since we arrived. [ Lion. Lion he meant the drink. ]

[rockymountaindie]

[ L- Lion, no, he was-- you know what it's...okay.

What Alex takes special interest in that little slip of the tongue, and his eyebrows knit together for a moment in thought. That's...the kind of slip he's intimately familiar with, the kind that's settled into his bones.

Alex, without looking away from Lion, waves the bartender over. As he anticipated, Faerun is like Paris in that drinking age is a suggestion or non-existent. ] Yeah, uh...whatever's on tap.

[ He passes some gold across, and the bartender bustles away. ] Have you tried it? The [ vague sword gestures ] you know, the fantasy Fight Club?

[ That same nearby patron has only just recovered from choking, and this guy is just saying it, just SAYING IT. What a fucking asshole! ]

I really fucking haven't, seems a bit too...you know, dangerous.

[dialetheism]

[ For their part, Lion is trying their sincere best to ignore that little misfire. They're clearly aware of it, if the sudden interest in sipping their drink again is any indication, but talking about it? Nooooope. Why would we ever do that.

Ahem.

That said, it's their turn to choke mid-sentence once they glance over - there's only so many ways to pantomime a sword, and it's a very Unfortunate angle. ] I- ah- no?? It's not particularly my- my scene, as it were.

[ Please, for the love of all the gods in Faerun, let that not be a euphemism from after their time. ]

I'm not exactly the... 'fight-y' type. If it was part of a puzzle, maybe, but combat is... messy. And nothing good can come from being locked in a tiny space with creatures that adamantly want to- well, you know.

[ That poor eavesdropping patron. He's never going to recover at this rate. ]

But obviously some like it, though I can't possibly imagine the appeal.

[rockymountaindie]

[ What, don't like fighting? Yeah, okay, like, neither is it hi-- wait a second ]

Fu- no, I meant-- I meant, swords and that shit! [ He hisses this quickly, as the bartender brings over a beer. Alex quite readily downs some of it, feeling his ears burn. ]

An-anyway, it's- yeah, I'm not... I don't wanna get into anything like that, if I can help it, definitely not gonna... [ god just down that beer ] Rush in on purpose. Like some kind of thrill-seeker.

[dialetheism]

Yes, that's- absolutely, I'm glad we're, um, on the same page.

[ This is it. This is the nightmare scenario. Lion joins him in downing more of their drink- wait, no, bad, it still tastes awful. Why did they think this was a good idea again? ]

That's... probably the wisest course of action. [ Wow, suddenly morbid. ] There's enough of 'us' who enjoy risking their lives, and are far better equipped to deal with the fallout. Helping is one thing - always - but rushing in just gets people...

[ They trail off. Right, that was why. Welp. ]

... Ah, don't mind me.

[rockymountaindie]

[ Alex doesn't have the same reservations about the beer. It's nice to get a buzz. He hasn't since...well. Paris. And he's not into getting drunk, really, because it dulls the senses. But, he's not really drinking to get drunk, he's...

A little cough, and he sighs with a half-shrug. ]

No, no. If you're gonna say something, go ahead. [ Another sip. ] I, uh... I'm not really familiar with how things work around here, so, whatever you want to say...

[dialetheism]

Ah, right, you're one of the newer... recruits? I forgot.

[ Thankfully they're not quite wrecked enough to start rambling about the Bureau in public, though the last-second substitute probably isn't much better if the sudden uptick in (badly disguised) eavesdropping is anything to go by.

There's so many roads that this conversation could take. And there's likely a more delicate way to put this, really, if they put the effort in to think about it. But they worked hard to wrap their thoughts in cotton wool to avoid this topic specifically - which unfortunately means that tact went out the window about an hour ago. Oh well. ]

I wasn't really saying- well, anything, I suppose. But it might be better if you heard it in advance - have you been told about the death thing yet?

[ -wait, what. ]

[rockymountaindie]

[ Ah. Well, we're getting right into it, are we?

Alex, to his credit, doesn't look too surprised, considering everything is about death with him, so of course that's where the conversation would lead. So, he doesn't blink, just nods in response. ]

Yeah. Someone let me know a few weeks back. You're talking about...we just need a body and this thing [ taps on the Bracer ] and it's like a revolving door?

[dialetheism]

That's the one.

[ It's not hard to notice how sharply Lion's previously... well, not happy, but positive expression drops at the topic, as they stare into their drink like it might make it easier to talk about. ]

It's... not exactly a door. There's complications. Especially if they can't find all of you to start with. But that's close enough to start with, I suppose?

[ Absently, one hand moves from the cup to rub at their Bracer. ]

It's not something to rely on. Not at all.

[rockymountaindie]

[ It's not something you can easily talk about. Or ask. But... Well, Lion's here at the bar for a reason. Aren't they? ]

Do you...know that from experience? [ His voice has dropped low. Low enough that it may be a little hard to hear at the bar. But this is the sort of thing, even with static interference, that no one would want others to overhear. ] About all of that?

[dialetheism]

[ There's a long moment where it looks like they might not say anything at all. They just stare into space, chewing their lip.

It's strange. They've already confronted death - their own, and other people's - over the six months they've been here, and it didn't bother them quite as much. Maybe it's the circumstances, or the week-long buildup of general misfortune they'd suffered beforehand. Maybe it's the fact that they know something is missing, even if they don't know what.

Or maybe it's just the fact that they got drunk off of practically no booze like an idiot. Any of these are a valid theory for this mystery. ]

I've seen some of the others. And lived through it myself, recently. [ If he's quiet, then they're just... flat, though there's a dry chuckle thrown in at the unintentional joke. ] Or, ah, not, as the case may be.

[ There's another pause, and then- ] It's not fun. But I'd rather not let anyone go into it unawares, if they have to risk it at all.

[rockymountaindie]

Death's never fun. [ Solemnly, gently. ] So, why would coming back from it be any different?

[ As someone who's done so...once, with the feeling of it twice. Alex can, unfortunately, recognize another.

It's been on his mind, since talking with Will, after all. ]

...Shit, I'm sorry, dude. No wonder you're hanging around the bar.

[dialetheism]

[ If only they knew. The coincidence would be hilariously fitting? But it'd also immediately make them buy another drink. Fun times, y'all. ]

In my defence, it was not my intention. It- kinda just happened. [ The drinking, or the death? ] Being alone seemed like... a bad idea afterwards.

[ Ah, both, got it. They sip their drink again, wincing at the taste. ]

... But burdening others with it seemed like a worse idea. Especially when mine was... not particularly bad, in the grand scheme of things? I don't remember most of it, for one.

[rockymountaindie]

[ Late-teens former deads drink terribly, an afternoon adventure.

Alex shrugs through the drink. ] Not...a lot of people know what it's like to die. You know? Whether it was bad or not...you remember it or not...

[ He taps a finger on the table. ]

It's fucked up. It's all fucked up.

slaps a seacats spoiler tag on here just in case this goes where i think it's going

[dialetheism]

[ That does it. They can't help it- the sheer similarity of it strikes them at an angle, drags out a very shaky laugh that threatens to turn into something Worse. ]

Aaaah, right? It's not something I'd- I'd ever wish on anyone. But the important is to not dwell on it-

[ They pause and make a face. ]

Mostly. To excess, anyway. That way lies madness and serialised murders.

[ So, hey, remember that one patron who was eavedropping? He just went white as a sheet. ]

gobbles up all them spoils 1/2

[rockymountaindie]

[ That's a concerning noise. From a guy who has, admittedly, made a lot of concerning noises, and been called pretty Crazy.

Alex opens his mouth to say something, but he catches sight of that eavesdropper. That guy, huh...

Before saying anything to Lion, he turns to that guy. ]

Hey, pal. You wanna mind your own business?

[ Now... It's not like he can do this a lot. But he has been practicing, and swear to fucking god, I somehow rolled a 19 on intimidate.

So, he's got his fucked up looking red-eyed raven, which has been here, the narrative's just forgot to mention it, but he keeps that thing with him, and he's got...a steadily growing red hue around him?

(Aura. Gotta remember to thank Sun for that.)

So that patron just sees the raven, sitting on the bar near Alex, turn its head and caw, as this kid steadily starts looking more and more...well, demonic.

The guy, frankly, almost wets himself, and does spill his beer all over his shirt in his attempt to scramble away. No more eavesdropper, though a few people turn their heads. Someone else getting in a fight? No? Eh. ]

2/2

[rockymountaindie]

[ ...And then the consequence of Alex being a bit of a nightlight, as he's looking down at his hands with a frown. ]

Fucking nosy asshole. Great, now I'm gonna be a glow-worm for the rest of the night.

[ He really does not know how to turn this thing off. ]

hoards them spoils like a dragon

[dialetheism]

[ Well that... happened.

Honestly, aside from making sure to move their notebook to the other side of the bartop - look, paper is flammable and they don't trust strange lights - Lion just waits out the fireworks. From where they're sitting, it's honestly kinda funny? That might be the alcohol talking, now that they think about it, but eh. Something needs to cheer them up. Might as well be schadenfreude.

Especially since watching that guy sprint out like his pants were on fire was pure gold. And it didn't actually hurt him, so everyone wins!

By the time Alex turns back around, the amusement's turned into full-on drunken giggles, one hand half covering their mouth and everything. ]

T-there's worse things you could be, I suppose? [ Like dead. But shhhhh. ] I'd, um, offer you my cloak to hide it, but it was a casualty of war.

[ Still. Now that the raven is actively involved in the conversation (Faerun is weird and they kind of... assumed it was just part of the bar!), they're looking at it with a critical eye. ]

That's an interesting friend you've made there, though. Very polite.

[rockymountaindie]

Yeah, nah, it's fine. At least people think I'm like...I don't know, some demon, they'll back off. [ He downs the rest of his beer. Like a champ.

A laugh's good to see. Especially from a fellow...well, a comrade in death, so to speak. Even if...he hasn't said so yet. His tongue's getting loose, at least. ]

What, this...? [ Alex appraises the raven. Are you a boy or a girl? The raven tilts its head. Damn it, no help. ] Uh, my familiar. Kinda...just sticks around, since I summoned it. Yells when I get pissed.

[ A softer caw. Affirmation! ]

[dialetheism]

Do be careful. It's handy for scaring people, but that kind of reputation might cause some trouble for you in the long run.

[ Intimidation vs Persuasion, fight. Though they miiight be latching onto the topic change somewhat - it's better then letting it drift back to their own death again. ]

Oh! You're... um... [ Uh. Shoot, they can't remember which Paths got the summoning spells. There was two, wasn't there...? ] One of the magic-y types, aren't you? It would make sense that the bird likes you, then. Since you technically created them.

[ #nailed it

Still, they're halfway through reaching out to pet the poor bird when their sense of self preservation finally gets the memo and kicks in. Whoops. ] Wait- may I? They're very pretty.

[rockymountaindie]

Believe me, careful is what I’m all about. I’m reserving this for drunken assholes.

[ Alex isn’t the one to respond to the question of the bird, but rather the raven themself hops up to meet Lion’s hand. A friendly bird, a nice bird. ]

It’s warlock. The...pact with an extra dimensional...whatever. [ Vague hand waves, he’s not in the mood to think about it. ] All kinda of magic, also an animal. ...Looks like it likes you, huh?

[ Soft caw. It rubs its crooked beak against Lion’s hand. ]

[dialetheism]

Unfortunately, they tend to be some of the grumpiest.

[ And that thought just... twinges, in a place of fog and something else that they can't quite name, so they elect to continue ignoring it in favour of giving a wonderful bird some well-deserved chinscritches. Whooooo's a precious omen of death and misfortune? You are! Yes, yes you areee-- ]

That they do. Magic or not, in a way you're lucky - at least you'll never be lonely, no matter what happens.

[ That's. Um.

...Lion, honey, that's a bit depressing, even for this conversation. ]

A lot of- a lot of the Cleric things involve magic, but not the sort I know. Er, knew? Kind of knew. [ That's about as straightforward as that's going to get. ] And none are quite as friendly as this.